Griqualand East

Griqualand East (Afrikaans: Griekwaland-Oos), officially known as New Griqualand (Dutch: Nieuw Griqualand), was one of four short-lived Griqua states in Southern Africa from the early 1860s until the late 1870s and was located between the Umzimkulu and Kinira Rivers, south of the Sotho Kingdom.

This article is about the former 19th-century country. For other uses, see Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Griqua people.

Griqualand East
Nieuw Griqualand
Griekwaland-Oos
1862–1879
Griqua Flag†
Emblem
Motto: Pro Rege Lege et Grege
Latin: For King, Law and the People
Seal:
Location of Griqualand East within the Cape Colony
StatusBritish Colony (1874–1879)
CapitalKokstad
Common languagesDutch(written)
proto-Afrikaans(spoken)
Xhosa
GovernmentRepublic?
President? 
• 1862–1875
Adam Kok III
LegislatureRaad/Volksraad
(12 members)
History 
• 
Annexation of Philippolis
Expulsion to Nomansland

1860
1862 (1863?)
• Laager
1862
• Move from Mt.Currie
1869
• Kokstad founded
1872
• Annexation
1874 ~ 1879
• Adam Kok's death
1875
Area
Estimate‡20,000 km2 (7,700 sq mi)
Population
• Griqua
1,100
• Xhosa* (Mpondo)
30,000
CurrencyTokens
Succeeded by
Cape Colony
† The Griqua flag is a vertically flipped version of the "Vierkleur" used by the South African Republic. A single source dates its origin to 1903; whether or not independent Griqualand East actually deployed it is uncertain.
‡ Maximum extend given, defined as unclaimed/un-annexed by other established governments. Total area was in flux throughout history. Source for given figure under References (below).
* +Zulu refugees from earlier Shaka war
Historical states
in present-day
South Africa
before 1600
1600–1700
1700–1800
  • Mthethwa Paramountcy (c.1780–1817)
  • Ndwandwe (c.1780–1817)
  • Swellendam (1795)
  • Graaff-Reinet (1795–1796)
  • Cape Colony (1795–1802)
1800–1850
  • Dutch Cape Colony (1802–1806)
  • Cape Colony (1806–1910)
  • Waterboer's Land (1813–1871)
  • Zulu Kingdom (1818–1897)
  • Adam Kok's Land (1825–1861)
  • Winburg (1836–1844)
  • Potchefstroom (1837–1848)
  • Natalia Republic (1839–1843)
1850–1875
  • South African Republic (1852–1902)
  • Orange Free State (1854–1902)
  • Republic of Utrecht (1854–1858)
  • Lydenburg Republic (1856–1860)
  • Griqualand East (1861–1879)
  • Griqualand West (1870–1880)
  • Diggers' Republic (1870–1871)
1875–1900
  • Stellaland (1882–1885)
  • Goshen (1882–1883)
  • Nieuw Republiek (1884–1888)
  • Klein Vrystaat (1886–1891)
1900–present
  • Cape Colony (1806–1910)
  • Union of South Africa (1910–1961)
  • Transkei (1976–1994)
  • Bophuthatswana (1977–1994)
  • Venda (1979–1994)
  • Ciskei (1981–1994)
  • Republic of South Africa (1961–present)
 South Africa portal

Griqualand East's capital, Kokstad, was the final place of settlement for a people who had migrated several times on their journey from the Cape of Good Hope and over the mountains of present-day Lesotho.

The territory was occupied by the British Empire and became a colony in 1874, shortly before the death of its founder and only leader, Adam Kok III. A short while later, the small territory was incorporated into the neighbouring Cape Colony. Though for a long time overshadowed in history by the story of the Voortrekkers, the trek of the Griquas has been described as "one of the great epics of the 19th century."

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